That NHIS (sorry, now NHMS) race is why Loudon ought to be a 400 lapper. One bad pit stop on that track and you are screwed. If they can do 400 at Dover, they can do 400 at Loudon. Hell, I wish they still ran 500 at Dover like they did into the mid-90s.

Jacques Debris out in force - saved Denny's bacon on fuel strategy (also saved the 88 on the lead lap, so I shouldn't compain) - just shows sometimes one needs good fortune in addition to good equipment. OTOH, I wonder how far he might have lapped the field if he hadn't screwed up in qualifying. Maybe 7 cars on lead lap or so?

relantel wrote:That NHIS (sorry, now NHMS) race is why Loudon ought to be a 400 lapper. One bad pit stop on that track and you are screwed. If they can do 400 at Dover, they can do 400 at Loudon. Hell, I wish they still ran 500 at Dover like they did into the mid-90s.

Jacques Debris out in force - saved Denny's bacon on fuel strategy (also saved the 88 on the lead lap, so I shouldn't compain) - just shows sometimes one needs good fortune in addition to good equipment. OTOH, I wonder how far he might have lapped the field if he hadn't screwed up in qualifying. Maybe 7 cars on lead lap or so?

Denny was never in a precarious position regarding fuel strategy. He and Darian were irritated by each caution. With respect to lapping, if he qualified on the pole and there weren't any lack-of-competition cautions (i.e. phantom debris) he would have come close to lapping the field, IMO.

On to Dover, where it's JJ's race to lose. Denny need a top 15 -- he's horrible there. Given the Richmond and Loudon dominance this year, though, Hamlin should be stout at Phoenix (where he won) and Martinsville. Some commentators suggested that Grubb covered him his laptops when interviewed because the setup notes would be applicable elsewhere.

I have a terrible feeling, though, that Hamlin will lose the championship by less than the 7 points he squandered at Chicago.

The Gibbs cars are dialed in. Led all 80 laps so far. Hard to believe only 8 cars on the lead lap right now, after all the green flag pit stops put everyone two, instead of one, lap down. Hamlin is only looking for a top 10 at this track, but as it stands now, he would actually make up 2 points on the 48.

Between the lap 60ish caution in the middle of green flag stops, and the fuel mileage ending, a very infuriating race to watch. ESPN left no clue as to how the order was jumbled. Annoying that neither the ESPN ticker nor the NASCAR scoring showed the time behind on those cars a lap down, where SPEED for F1 use will show lap + time. This race in particular, would have come in handy as fast cars got trapped down a lap or more. About only clue one has as a viewer is by a lead lap car in the shot. DIRECTV Hotpass would show total time behind the leader for a covered driver, but they shifted that to HD only around Indy.

Would have been nice to see ESPN show the finish and explain the end scoring. (I.e. how drivers that were 2 laps down finished 3 down when not passed by the 2 car)

Could have been worse... but seeing this as a two man race between the 48/2. 11 can get back in if they stop making unforced errors. Everyone else is just playing for pecking order on the head table at Vegas.

Meh. Changed it a 14th. Johnson and Hamlin should pass the 2 in these last six races. Hamlin won at Phoenix and Kansas this year. He has wins at Texas and Homestead. And he's a monster at Martinsville. Pretty clearly a three-horse race now.

Might be the top 4 right now, with everyone else bunched closely from 5th to 11th. Kenseth got the win but is still stuck in 12th. Gordon has three top 3's in a row and is still 42 points out of the lead.

The summer Daytona race finished quite a bit similar, with a big wreck on the last lap. Sad thing is, one driver's mistake (Tony) leads to 25 cars being torn to pieces and most unhappy about their day. Encouraged, to an extent, the speed the 88 showed, in leading a bit, and getting the lap back under green, and driving back to the top 5, even if the help disappeared. Really wouldn't have mattered much given the way the whole field was wrecked. Only guy not running in the back to get through was Kenseth. (And oh, how I hate the ride in the back routine... here's looking at you, Denny, Brad and Jimmie)

The solution NASCAR doesn't want to hear is unrestricting the engines, or at least loosening the current limits. They are afraid of the 200MPH barrier, so they won't do it, but if everyone had to lift in the corners to stay under control, the packs would break apart, and it would be 1990 all over again. Those cars had plates, but drivers still found themselves separated from the field. Granted the car of 1990 was far boxier than more recent models. Barring that, the package from about 2000-2004 would work, though some of those years they experimented with smaller fuel cells in an attempt to force more field separation by pitstops. In 2002, there was a caution free race at Talladega. In 2003, the field was split way apart partly due fuel mileage, leading to Biffle's first career win. 2004 had a pass for the lead at Daytona without help, with the field spread so far apart it was up to 1st & 2nd, with a lap down car trying to help Stewart but he was passed anyway.

I don't think the COT car helped the plate tracks much, nor the EFI. Might be interesting to see what the new 2013 cars will do.

On to Charlotte. Where I about expect the 48 to win the race. Get into fuel mileage in the end, look for HMS to run dry again. Fuel mileage races have favored BK this year. The title chase is almost turning into BK's to lose. Though all it takes is one bit of bad luck and the field is bunched up again.

relantel wrote:Might be the top 4 right now, with everyone else bunched closely from 5th to 11th. Kenseth got the win but is still stuck in 12th. Gordon has three top 3's in a row and is still 42 points out of the lead.

The summer Daytona race finished quite a bit similar, with a big wreck on the last lap. Sad thing is, one driver's mistake (Tony) leads to 25 cars being torn to pieces and most unhappy about their day. Encouraged, to an extent, the speed the 88 showed, in leading a bit, and getting the lap back under green, and driving back to the top 5, even if the help disappeared. Really wouldn't have mattered much given the way the whole field was wrecked. Only guy not running in the back to get through was Kenseth. (And oh, how I hate the ride in the back routine... here's looking at you, Denny, Brad and Jimmie)

The solution NASCAR doesn't want to hear is unrestricting the engines, or at least loosening the current limits. They are afraid of the 200MPH barrier, so they won't do it, but if everyone had to lift in the corners to stay under control, the packs would break apart, and it would be 1990 all over again. Those cars had plates, but drivers still found themselves separated from the field. Granted the car of 1990 was far boxier than more recent models. Barring that, the package from about 2000-2004 would work, though some of those years they experimented with smaller fuel cells in an attempt to force more field separation by pitstops. In 2002, there was a caution free race at Talladega. In 2003, the field was split way apart partly due fuel mileage, leading to Biffle's first career win. 2004 had a pass for the lead at Daytona without help, with the field spread so far apart it was up to 1st & 2nd, with a lap down car trying to help Stewart but he was passed anyway.

I don't think the COT car helped the plate tracks much, nor the EFI. Might be interesting to see what the new 2013 cars will do.

On to Charlotte. Where I about expect the 48 to win the race. Get into fuel mileage in the end, look for HMS to run dry again. Fuel mileage races have favored BK this year. The title chase is almost turning into BK's to lose. Though all it takes is one bit of bad luck and the field is bunched up again.

Hey rel, maybe you can help me on this. Why is NASCAR okay with 215 mph at Michigan but not 200+ at Talladega?

Also, I think the 2 is going to fall. He has 2 career top tens at Martinsville, Texas, Homestead, and Phoenix combined. Plus Paul Wolfe gambles. One of those gambles is not going to pay off. It's going to be Hamlin-Johnson a la Stewart-Edwards last year. I would not be surprised if those two win the last six races. /overly confident.

I do NOT like restrictor plate racing. Apparently Dale doesn't either.

"Earnhardt was not required to go to the care center for an examination at the time. Immediately after the race, he called restrictor-plate racing ''bloodthirsty'' and said he no longer had any desire to compete at Daytona and Talladega."

And Regan Smith benefits bigtime again from an Earnhardt, having won his first race at Dega in 2008 for DEI (that NASCAR took away and gave to Tony Stewart when Tony forced Regan below the yellow line).

How messed up would it be if Regan Smith won in the 88 much like McMurray won in Sterling Marlin's 40 in Charlotte in 2002.

relantel wrote:And Regan Smith benefits bigtime again from an Earnhardt, having won his first race at Dega in 2008 for DEI (that NASCAR took away and gave to Tony Stewart when Tony forced Regan below the yellow line).

How messed up would it be if Regan Smith won in the 88 much like McMurray won in Sterling Marlin's 40 in Charlotte in 2002.